“Problem: Why Do the Good Have to Suffer?”

Scripture: Job 1:13-22

Recently, I’ve had several questions regarding the meaning of scripture, primarily in passages that can be troubling in some way or other. Some of the issues of concern are the seemingly oppressive attitudes that is advanced toward women; why a loving God would order the killing of entire communities and nations; why the Lord would use plagues to convince the Egyptian Pharaoh to let God’s people leave; why God would let bad things happen to those who are faithful to him and his ways; why does he make forgiveness so easy and available to those who don’t deserve it; and many others.

Today, we begin a new series to consider some of these and other issues that have bothered folks over the years. So if you have a personal problem with a passage from scripture, please let me know, and I’ll try to address them in a future message.

But for today, we begin with “Why do good people have to suffer?” Our passage is from the book of Job, in which Jehovah God not only allows Satan to mess with Job, but he actually encourages it. Satan claims that the only reason that Job has been living righteously is that God has been protecting and blessing him with tremendous success in life. The Lord knows different, but still opens the way for the destruction of everything that identifies the man as wealthy. (Job 1:1-12) But the story that this book brings is actually far more than just the issue of suffering – it also addresses concepts like: what is God all about; what is Satan’s goal in this life; what do we gain by living a life in piety; what is the difference between God’s created order, and Satan’s chaotic perversion?

I doubt that we’ll be able to address all of these issues, but we’ll consider some of them.

Read Job 1:13-16

In the verse immediately preceding this beginning of loss, we read “The Lord said to Satan, ‘Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.’”. As we read of the four calamities that initially befall Job, each is attributed to someone or something other than the devil himself. The satan normally has the power to bring confusion, to cast aspersions, to bring about doubts and fears in our lives, but I’m not so sure that he could actually destroy our God-given possessions or life all by himself.

So he uses enemies and natural phenomenon to accomplish his purposes. The oxen and donkeys were stolen by the Sabeans, who also killed all but one of the servants who were tending the herds. In the second attack, we read that it was by the “fire of God”, which is more likely lightening, which completely incinerates the flocks of sheep, as well as all the servant shepherds, except for one.

Satan has begun his effort to strip Job of everything that, presumably, identifies him as a man of God. Ever since the Lord forced him out of heaven for striving to become like God, he had been scheming to get even by destroying the faith of the Lord’s people. But the great Jehovah knows that faith can be more powerful than Satan’s desires and devious ways. He knows the faith of Job, and trusts that this will bring him through the Satan’s trials.

But why would the Lord put his servant Job through these trials just to prove something to his nemesis? How far would he let the evil plan go?

Read Job 1:17-19

Did you notice that the news of each disaster came right on top of the others? The man never has a chance to grieve each loss before the next one is upon him. It appears that the trials of Job are meant to be a singular attack, and not multiple and individual events. And the last attack, the death of all of his children, should have been the proverbial “nail in the coffin” for Job. A man’s sons were important for his legacy, and his daughters, when united in marriage to other families, established alliances that could benefit both. The destruction of Job’s “wealth” is complete.

Have any of us ever lost all of our finances and possessions? Some have through disastrous fires and theft. Others have lost their financial security through scams, or have had their identity stolen by other criminals. This is where Job was. He had lost everything.

But before we think that God and Satan are engaged in some kind of wicked competition with Job as the game piece, we have to remember that the satan’s only purpose is to prove that he is just as powerful, and just as wise as God, who had once been his Lord and Master, and that he can control the righteous people of creation by destroying the relationship that exists between them and their Lord.

It began in the Garden, when Adam and Eve broke from the true way of God, and ate from the Tree of Knowledge. (Genesis 2:16-18)
It continued in Israel, when they began worshipping the false gods of other nations. (Jeremiah 13:24-25)
It existed in Jesus’ time, when the leaders of Israel spread lies about the Savior, and kept the people from finding the truth of God in Jesus Messiah. (Matthew 12:33-35)
And it floods the world today through the hatred and violence that is being forced on those who are striving to be faithful to God’s word. (John 15:17-19; Matthew 10:22; Matthew 24:9-11)

And how is Job making out?

Read Job 1:20-22

Job’s first acts were to tear his robe and shave his head. This is symbolic of grief and mourning for the overwhelming tragedies that are pounding his soul. But these are committed in silence – after all, what could any amount of words add in expression of his incredible loss. When his words finally come, though, they are not expressed in grief, but in worship.

Even with all that has been taken from him, the faith and trust that he had in his precious God allowed him to sing praises for all that the Lord had done, and continued to do for him. And he does exactly the opposite of what Satan wanted him to do.

Jumping ahead to chapter 2, Satan returns to visit with the Lord one more time. And God chastises him with the following: “ 3 …. “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason.”

Satan had lost the gamble, but as we all know, he never gives up. God’s resistance to evil’s desire to destroy his prestige in this world is through the faith and persistence of his people. There will be a day when Satan’s time will run out, but for now, it isn’t our good works that will resist Evil’s lies, it isn’t God’s intervention that will limit Satan’s ways, it isn’t our willingness to spread the good news of Jesus Christ that will end the persecution and opposition to the Church’s existence. It is the strength and authenticity of our faith, in the face of satanic attacks, that will keep the Church strong until the day that all have heard the Lord’s promise of eternal life, and it is faith that resides in the hearts and souls of God’s servants that will be the Devil’s disappointment. (Romans 11:25-27)

And on the day of Christ’s return, Satan will know for certain what he has denied since he lost his place in heaven – that no one is as good, or wise, or powerful, or truthful, or loving as our Almighty God. But until then, the righteous of God will continue to know the hatred of Satan’s world – not because the Lord desires our pain, not because he wants to constantly test our faith, but because it will continue to be the only evidence of the Devil’s coming demise. Faith, in spite of loss, is our greatest gift to the Lord God Almighty, our only Redeemer and Savior and Truth in this life and beyond.

“Acceptance – In God’s Way”

Scripture: Romans 15:1-13

This is our seventh and last week of looking at what 4 chapters in the Book of Romans has to tell us about the Christian life. We could probably have completed this topic with one sentence though – “Live the life that Jesus led, and taught, and proclaimed, for our lives!” It may very well be as simple as that!

Of course, the Christian life isn’t really simple at all – not in any way, shape or form. It requires a divine and Godly focus in life, a righteous commitment to live as God would have us, and a complete personal dedication to live out the teachings of Jesus Christ. And anyone who has tried this way of life knows that it sounds far easier than it actually is.

So how did Jesus live in a way that would glorify his Father? After all, he was as human as you and I are! And just because he was also fully God, he still needed constant prayer and connection to the Father just to stay in his way, and even at that, he struggled with what he was being called to do. And that is exactly where we should be – called, loved, included, committed, and yes, even struggling.

Read Romans 15:1-6

We are not to live in a way that builds ourselves up (to “please ourselves”), but rather in a way that pleases others. This is more than just about other people, though – it is about the purpose of the Church; it’s why God has ordained the Church; it’s why the Church even exists! And verse 3 tells us that Jesus never sought to “please” himself – he gave himself, and all that this required of him, for the weak brothers and sisters of this world, and that means you and me. And the reference to weakness doesn’t mean that we are failures, but rather that we are helpless to gain the good things of God all by ourselves. And our strength to help others who have yet to come to the Lord’s grace, comes from our faith and trust in Christ.

Paul offers a quotation from scripture that comes from the Psalms – Psalm 69. The psalm is credited to King David, and is a lament in which he begins with the words “Save me O God, for the waters have come up to my neck.” In scripture, “water” is generally a metaphor for chaos, so we are led to understand that David is feeling that the chaotic existence of this life is wearing him down, and that he is on the verge of drowning in the world’s evil. He is too weak to save himself from the world’s darkness, and looks to God for his salvation. Doesn’t that speak perfectly to Jesus, and his last few days of human life? He needed the Father’s strength, too!

The apostle also tells us that this is why we have the scriptures! For him, Scripture only consisted of the Hebrew text – the New Testament canon had yet to be chosen. And yet, these early faith communities had letters from the disciples and apostles that were being circulated throughout the network of churches. And the early church leaders were always working to make the connection between the life of Jesus, and the promise of Messiah. They read of Jesus’ teaching, and while they would discover that his way reflected the Law of Moses in a few ways, more times than not, he was explaining and fulfilling the Law in ways that no one had ever expected, and in ways that many rejected.

Scripture, the word of God, not only brings us the truth of God as it has been written throughout the ages, but it gives us endurance in faith, and encouragement to truly be the Church for this world. They tell us of the promise of Messiah and who he will be for us. But Israel changed Messiah’s story to suit their situation in the world, and they forgot the message of the suffering servant who would win the world (Isaiah 52:13-15), and instead, made Messiah into a conquering and majestic warrior, who would only redeem Israel.

And Paul ends this part of the passage with a prayer for the church, that a “spirit of unity” would descend upon us in one way - with one message, one mind, one heart, and through one voice. That together, we would sound the glory of Almighty God, that others would pick up the song of praise, and come to know the hope and life that faith in the Son of God can bring to all who believe. And that will be the day when true and glorious worship fills our hearts and sanctuaries!

Read Romans 15:7-13

How welcoming is Jesus? It is total. When he went to Calvary to surrender his life to the hatred of earth, it was to win freedom from death, and forgiveness from sin, for all who would come to him and his ways by faith. The welcoming heart of Jesus is for all who would open the door for him.
There are a number of versions of a famous painting from the 1820’s that depicts the Lord standing in front of a closed door, knocking and waiting for those inside the house to open it and welcome him in. Most of these versions poignantly and intentionally omit any means for the Lord to open the door himself from the outside. Only the ones inside can let Jesus into their lives. (Revelation 3:20)

Jesus is anxious to welcome us, but the question is how ready are we to welcome him, and will we be just as welcoming of others? And he broaches the subject of welcoming the Gentiles into the faith, which would have been a stumbling point for the Jews. They had apparently forgotten Isaiah 49:5-6 in which they are told that Messiah will not only gather Israel back together again, but that he will also be a light and salvation for the Gentile world. It appears in verse 6 that salvation for Israel is nowhere near enough for the eternal God – he wants everyone within his creation to have the same chance that the Jews had been given.

Paul then lifts up four passages to support his point. The first is from Psalm 18, and in verse 49, the psalmist says that he will praise the name of God among all the nations – ALL the nations! Why would he extend the glory of Jehovah God to the pagans, unless the Lord intended to offer them his goodness, too? It isn’t that Israel’s promise will be diluted – it will be shared and available to all the world.

The second passage is from Deuteronomy 32:43. We read that the nations (again, plural, not just Israel), will rejoice and praise the name of Jehovah, and that the Lord will take measures to settle accounts for the oppression and persecution against all of his servants. The people of other nations will be treated no differently than the people of Israel will be.

The next is from Psalm 117:1-2. Again, the nations will rejoice in the Lord because of the love and faithfulness that is shown to all who serve the one and Almighty God.

The last is from Isaiah 11:10, where we read that Jesus, the “Root of Jesse”, will be a banner, a guide, a point of reference, for peoples (plural!), and they, too, will be welcomed into his glorious resting place.

He is reminding us of just how welcoming and loving Christ really is, and that his people need to be just as welcoming and supportive of others in their needs. The Christian life demands acceptance of others in the extreme. So a few questions that we all need to consider for our own lives:

How accepting are we of others who look different than we do? If a black couple, or Hispanic couple, or Asian, or Middle Eastern couple walked through our front door, would they feel welcome, would they be invited to sit beside you, would they find a home here?
What would Jesus do?

How accepting are we of others whose cultural status is different from ours? What if a person walked in, dressed in old and tattered clothing, hungry and in dire need of a bath – would you invite them to sit with you, would you help them with our order of worship if they weren’t familiar with it? Would you invite them to join you for a meal following worship?
What would Jesus do?

How loving would you be toward a person who came in, acting arrogant and aloof, and wanted you to know just how much they knew about the Bible and that your understandings were totally wrong, to the point that it became insulting? Would you help them to understand our order of worship, even if they seemed to find it lacking? Would you invite them to come back next week?
What would Jesus do?

How accepting would you be toward a single mom, who came into our worship, with three young children, all of whom were restless and out of sorts? Would you help her care for her children, or would you suggest that she take them downstairs and out of our hair?
What would Jesus do?

I expect that we have all known “church people” who would not have been very loving toward any of these people. But that isn’t what Jesus would have us be and do. Being accepting and loving and caring in God’s way is anything but natural for us, but it is something that we can learn, and practice, and become far better at than the rest of the world is.

God wanted Israel to know that he had “chosen” them, not to be a special people, but to be a people who would reach out to those who were unlike them; to care for those who they had always avoided; to touch the lives of the sinners of the world, not in condemnation, but in love; that they weren’t the only ones who deserved God’s grace and mercy.

Do any of us think we are special, or do we see ourselves as Godly. There’s a huge difference, you know!

“Do What is Right”

Scripture: Romans 14:13-23

In last week’s passage, we read of Paul’s take on what made food clean or unclean, and how we are to deal with differences in opinion between the two concepts. This is reminiscent of Acts 10:9-20, in which Peter had a vision of a sheet being let down from heaven, that was filled with both clean and unclean animals. A heavenly Voice tells him to kill them and eat. Peter’s response is that the Law, that of Moses, tells him that some of them are unclean, so he replies that he never has, and never will, eat anything that is unclean. And the point of this event has little to do with food, and far more about reaching out to the gentile world with the message of salvation that rests solely in Jesus Christ.

The Voice then calls him to a Godly truth, that whatever God has created should never be declared as unclean. So what is it that makes some things unclean, or sinful? In Matthew 15:16-20, Jesus tells us that it isn’t that which goes into our mouth, our food, that makes us sinful, but that which comes out of our mouth, out of our heart, that defiles our life. He then gives us a list of what might be considered as evil – things like “murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander”. So the point that Jesus is making, as well as the discussion that Paul offers, is not really about food at all, but rather what the Christian life must be about.

Sin exists in the heart and mind, and is demonstrated through the acts of the individual. So today, as we continue in Paul’s explanation in Romans 14, we will be considering what sin is all about.

Read Romans 14:13-18

Stop judging others, and stop putting up stumbling blocks in the faith journeys of your brothers and sisters. I find it hard to believe that anyone would intentionally cause difficulties in a new Christian’s growth in faith, but it takes so little to turn a person away from the Lord’s truth, and it usually happens when we become too legalistic, and expect others to be the same way. Sound like the Pharisees? It certainly does! But this specific issue isn’t what Paul is referring to. He is talking about those who are new to the faith, and are struggling to find their way in the way of God, and whether we are helping them, or hindering them in faith.

The apostle writes that nothing is unclean in and of itself, but that it is a personal issue for each and every individual. Now quite honestly, I doubt that any of us believe that he is saying that one person’s sin is another person’s glory. Sin is defined by God as being a way that denies his call to righteous living. If our life isn’t of God, then it is of the world, and that is sin. His point, I believe, is that when we take the goodness of God that is intended to be a blessing for our lives, and intentionally pervert its original intent, this is sin..

And the distinction that Paul is making is that the Church has to take responsibility for not causing sin in others by the way we treat them. As an example from last week, if a person believes that the best food to eat is vegetable instead of meat, then don’t invite them to dinner when you plan to have roast beef for the meal! Don’t cause problems because you disagree with someone else’s thought that is different, even though it is still within the Lord’s framework. Don’t ever let your actions, your words, become detrimental for someone who has accepted the gift that Jesus gave his life for.

It appears that verses 17 and 18 are the point that the apostle is making, that the kingdom isn’t based in the things of life, but rather in three things – righteousness that comes through the leading of the Holy Spirit, who reminds us of those things that Jesus taught; the peace of God that rests on all who follow the Lord’s commands; and the joy that fills those whose lives exhibit the presence of the Holy Spirit. And he says that this is the evidence that we are truly serving Christ, which, in turn, brings “pleasure” to the Father.

But his last three words in this passage are a bit confusing, that being faithful to Christ and his teachings will bring us approval by humanity. In my experience, the truth is just the opposite – that human approval is sorely missing for those who follow the ways of Jesus Christ – after all, that is what persecution is all about. Perhaps his meaning is that the unique life that the Christian lives will be noticed by the world, but that may be a topic for a future message.

Read Romans 14:19-21

Do everything possible to bring about peace and teaching in the way of Christ. And just because something may be acceptable in the eyes of God, that doesn’t mean that we should always do it just because we can, in spite of what others may believe they should do.

As an example, Paul continues with the issue of food and drink. Today, one issue that is before many people is whether it is acceptable for Christians to drink alcohol or not. There are numerous passages in scripture, especially in the Hebrew text, that condemn drunkenness, and yet, there is nothing mentioned, or even alluded to in the 10 Commandments regarding alcohol.

For Israel, wine was a common drink at meals and celebrations, and in John 2:1-11, we find Jesus is at a wedding celebration where the host ran out of wine. The Lord, in his first miracle, changes about 150 gallons of water into “choice” wine, the best wine. And we read that this revealed his glory. Hardly a sinful act.

In Matthew 11:18-19, we read that Jesus was accused of being a “glutton and a drunkard”, so we can assume that he also drank wine. Personally, I believe that the commands against being a drunkard were against addiction to alcohol, which is what the term “drunk” used to mean when I was growing up (today we use the term “alcoholism” to mean the same thing), and not that someone had a drink of wine with a meal.

But Paul’s point is that if someone abstains from all alcoholic drinks, which is certainly a commendable thing to do, then someone who doesn’t abstain shouldn’t ridicule them or drink in front of them. And in a more general sense, he wants us to know that we should never let our differences become stumbling blocks within the church. Faith in Jesus Christ and all that he has done and suffered on our behalf, must be first in our lives, and from that, we begin the daily following of his commandments. Calling out believers for their failure to accept and live both points is vitally important in the Church, but judgment and punishment for their sin rests solely in the purview of Almighty God.

Read Romans 14:22-23

“Everything that does not come from faith is sin.” It is faith that justifies our salvation, and not the good things that we do, and definitely not how perfectly we follow the Lord’s commands. It is faith that enables forgiveness for our failures to follow God’s commandments, and not that our good works must outweigh our bad ones. It is faith that brings joy to the heart of God, and not how perfectly we live our life.

But none of this implies that if we believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, that we can live any way that we want. In Romans 5:20 - 6:4, Paul asks that great question “Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?” He goes on to say that by faith in Christ, we have died to sin. It is grace through faith that brings us out of sin and darkness, but always, faith must be our first step. Before giving our lives to Jesus Christ, nothing good that we ever do will matter one little bit. We all may have heard the expression “Fake it ‘til you make it!”, and some believe that “faking it” is a good thing, and is preparation for doing good things for Jesus. It isn’t.

Nothing that we do outside of Christ brings us a single benefit as far as the Lord is concerned. And after we come to Christ, the things we do that are not Christ-like are just as bad. Belittling others, ridiculing others, expressing contempt for how they live, or how they worship or act, or how they look or how they dress - none of this is the way of a Christian. Paul even says that if we claim to believe one thing, while doubting that it is truly the way of God, we have just condemned ourselves. Through our doubts as to the righteousness of God’s leading, we have just caused them, and us, to become sinful. Remember Thomas’ doubting that Jesus was truly resurrected from the grave? The Lord tells the disciple to “Stop doubting and believe.” – doubt inhibits our faith, so we need to eliminate it from our life in faith! (John 20:26-28)

The life of a Christian just keeps getting more difficult, doesn’t it? Our life in Christ keeps coming back to faith – faith that Jesus is truly the Son of God, faith that Jesus died for our sin, faith that Jesus rose from the grave to be our hope for a new and eternal life, faith that the life Jesus lived is also the life we should, and can, live – we have received all of this from the Lord so that our life may be reflective of him, and that the world may see him through us. He never said that it would be easy, but he did say that it can be fruitful. And that is the best of all possibilities.

Do what is right in the eyes of Jesus, our Lord and our Savior. Stop doubting that this is the way of God, and believe.

“So What’s the Difference?”

Scripture: Romans 14:1-12

In case you didn’t know it, the Christian life is unique. We have been warned over and over, in the Old Testament as well as the New, that as the faithful in Christ, we are called to live in a way that is totally different than the ways of the world. The Christian way, the Godly life, is despised by those who live by the standards and teachings of earth, just as Jesus said they would. As a matter of fact, he told us that not only will our beliefs and lifestyle be ridiculed and hated, but so will we! (Matthew 10:21-23)

And as if this series hasn’t put enough strange demands on our lives, this week’s passage will add some more. Today, we consider some thoughts that even contradict the teachings of some Christian teachers – and not just those of today, but those since the Church began. As an example, as the good news of Jesus Christ began to spread throughout gentile territories 2,000 years ago, it was expected that all converts would become Jewish in every way, including dietary, observance of the Jewish holidays, adherence to Torah, and even circumcision. Of course, these and other mandates would be overturned in time, and when the Christian - Jewish relationship was dissolved in 70AD, the break would become complete.

But the new teaching of faith would continue, and will do so until the day of Christ’s return, and today’s passage addresses some of what continues to stretch us.

Read Romans 14:1-4

“Accept the one whose faith is weak.” Don’t discriminate against those who’s faith may not be as strong as yours. These could be new Christians, who’s faith hasn’t begun growing yet; it could be a person who has believed for many years, but who has recently gone through a very difficult situation, such as the loss of a loved one, intense persecution, or other issues that can challenge your faith; it could be an issue that is coming from within the Church, such as false teaching, a fallen church leader, and so on. Faith is never a solitary quantity – it grows, it struggles, it may set off on a divergent path for a while, it may be corrupted by false teaching.

Unfortunately, there are those who believe that faith must be strong, or else it is no faith at all. But nothing could be further from the truth! The world has many tactics to plant doubt and fear in our lives, and the Church’s responsibility is to be encouragement and truth and love for all who call Jesus Christ Lord and Savior, regardless of the depth or duration of their faith.

Paul carries this new attitude to the issue of dietary requirements. One of the early controversies in faith hinged on the eating of meat or grains that had been sacrificed in the name of pagan gods. Some believed that this food had been tainted to the point that it was sinful to eat any of it, while others claimed that it was a worthless sacrifice, and that when food, any food, was eaten, it was digested and quickly passed out of the body as waste.

The other issue was whether it was acceptable to eat anything, or that vegetarianism was the only proper meal for believers. The truth is that, without going into any major discussion on the eating of vegetables versus the eating of meat, any food that provides us with good and safe nourishment is acceptable in the sight of Almighty God. After all, he gave this world both, and has placed humanity in stewardship over both, and God’s joy is based in our faith and trust in Jesus Christ, not in what we eat.

A third issue is one that is addressed in the gospels, as well as the epistles, and that is our judgment of others. He writes “Who are you to judge someone else’s servant?” He implies that God is master of all of creation, and that he alone will be the final Judge of all people. In Matthew 7:1-3, Jesus tells us to leave judgment up to him, for if we do judge others, we will be judged in the same manner, using the same criteria, and will receive the same punishment that we meet out in our decisions. Now, before this is misunderstood, while we aren’t to judge others, we are to be discerning in matters related to the commands and teaching that the Lord has set down. We are to understand what they mean, and how we are to respond to them, but to never judge and condemn others who may not be following them.

We are to leave the final decisions up to the Lord, and him alone.

Read Romans 14:5-9

We might be tempted to think that Paul is talking about Sabbath worship in these verses. Remember that the Jewish sabbath, known as Shabbat, was from sundown on Friday until three stars appear in the Saturday evening sky. Christianity was still a Jewish sect, and he isn’t talking about Shabbat, either. Judaism had a number of holy days, with three of them greater and more obligatory that the rest. There were also a number of days that the gentile converts from other nations observed, and new Christians sometimes saw Jewish and Christian days as more holy than the ones that they had previously celebrated. Paul wants us to know that if we hold any day as being greater than other days, we should be sure that we are giving them a place of honor to the glory of our Lord Jesus! That, and that alone makes a day, any day, holy.

God isn’t honored by the food we eat, unless we offer the food up to the glory and blessing of the Lord.
God isn’t honored in any day we celebrate, unless we claim that day and its significance to the glory of the Lord.
God isn’t honored by our life, unless we are living it in his way, for his purpose, with his grace and mercy, and to his benefit.
And God isn’t honored in our worship unless we give our lives and worship and praise to Jesus Christ and all that he has done for us.

The point that Paul is making is that “everything that Christians do is done, not in relation to themselves, but in relation to the Lord.” (New Interpreter’s Bible) So the intent of this passage is that no matter what we are doing in this life, none of it matters one iota, unless we are doing it for the sake and purpose of Almighty God. Think about it – if we live in and for Jesus, as a way to celebrate his life and death and life again, all of which was done totally for us, how can we ever go wrong, and how can we possibly fail in loving him? As we read through scripture, we discover that, even though we all will die at the end of this life, the world’s death will have no hold on us either! And whether we are living or dying, as long as we are in Jesus Christ, we still win!

Read Romans 14:10-12

Paul summarizes our passage by basing it in quotations from both the prophet Isaiah 45:22-24 and his own letter to the church in Philippi (Philippians 2:1-11). His letter to the church at Philippi was one of gratitude for a gift they had sent him while he was in a Roman prison. The gift was a double blessing for Paul, as his first experience with these people was during his second missionary trip, which founded this church as the first on the European continent. In his opening words in Philippians 1:3-6, he writes “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” And in Philippians 2:1-11, the apostle writes:

"Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death - even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 1that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Did you hear that? “In humility, value others above yourselves” and “have the same mindset as Christ Jesus”. This is the proof of a Christian life – placing a higher value on other people, placing a higher value on the life of Christ, placing a higher value on the ways of the Lord – this is what the Christian life requires. Humility puts us last in the eyes of earth, but first in the eyes of Almighty God, and it puts us in the same attitude that Jesus displayed.

Each of us needs to strive to be first in the only way that will make an eternal difference – the way of Jesus Christ.

“Render Unto Caesar …”

Scripture: Romans 13:1-7

One of the new social terms that we hear today fits fairly well with the series we have been discussing. We have been considering passages from Romans that deal with the Christian life – those things that the Lord has called his Church to be and do. Oh – the term? It took me a while to figure it out, but the word is “woke” – such as he or she is woke. It refers to the fact that a person has finally “woke” up to the truth, one who is now aware of reality, or so I understand! In a social context, it specifically means that we have become aware of social injustices, but in a Christian context, I might suggest that to be “woke” is an acknowledgment that we have come to an understanding of just what God would have us know about him, and to what he would have us be for him.

In our passage for today, it is one that has experienced a great deal of controversy over the centuries. But then, so have many verses in scripture.
- How about Luke 14:26 – that unless we hate our parents, our spouse and children, our brothers and sisters, and even our own life - if we don’t hate these, we can never be a true follower of Jesus Christ! How could that be God’s will?
- How about Matthew 5:43-44 – show love to the enemies who persecute us! Really! And the list of strange commandments could go on and on! And our passage for today, from Romans, is no exception.

Read Romans 13:1-2

And as odd as this passage may be, it is also one that has been used, through selfish means, to justify all kinds of unGodly activity. Keep in mind that “governing authority” isn’t confined to government – it refers to any leadership authority, including government, that we are subject to. It could be your boss at work, it could be the leaders of a local organization that you belong to, it could, certainly, be the many levels of government that set all kinds of laws in motion, and it could even be the church! Of course, rules, regulations, and requirements in each setting vary, and at times, they may even conflict. And yet, …

Most organizations, including government, have processes in place to make changes and clarifications to not only the leadership, but to the organization’s procedures and policies. The one exception to this, of course, are the laws of our Almighty God. In our nation, we can change leadership through elections, we can change laws through legislative action, we can change guidelines and programs, but when it comes to God’s ways, he alone set them in place, he alone has made them perfect, and he has no reason to change them. This authority is his, and it will never be ours.

For Paul and his time, “governing authority” meant Rome. Rome – one of the most oppressive, brutal, pagan, demanding, demeaning, and unforgiving authority of all time. He would spend more time in Roman prisons than we can possibly imagine, so the one thing he isn’t suggesting here is that Rome is good, that Rome is worthy of allegiance, or even that all who have received God-granted authority will always be obedient in Godly ways!

But another point that needs to be considered, is whether the word “subject” means to be obedient or not. In truth, human authority and laws not only specify the requirement, but the penalty for being disobedient. Submitting, or “subjecting” ourselves to secular authority includes being prepared to accept the consequences of not complying. For most people, we spend nearly as much time planning for ways to avoid the penalties as we do in making our way in disobedience!

We have to understand that Paul’s writing is complicated, and at times, may even seem to be contradictory. In this passage, he writes that rebellion against human authority is synonymous with rebellion against God. That in and of itself is a little strange, and in Colossians 1:15-20, he writes that Jesus is the supreme authority over all of creation, and is the sole reason that we can be reconciled with God – Jesus is far greater than the world. And in Colossians 2:6-8, we read that we should be wary of world authority, with verse 8 telling us “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition.” – the world can be wrong, while Jesus is not. He isn’t saying that we should ignore worldly authority, but that we should take care not to accept it as God’s truth. God’s plan is perfect, which no human being will ever be able to do by their own volition.

Read Romans 13:3-5

There is no terror for those who do right, there is no spirit of fear for those who put their trust in Christ. (1 John 4:18) That doesn’t mean that we will never suffer under the hands of human authority, but by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, we can do what is right without fearing the consequences of earth. But if we do wrong, Paul reminds us that “rulers do not bear the sword for no reason.”, and this IS a reason to fear – we are not only wrong, but we will also suffer for it. Of course, these issues of “right” and “wrong” are by God’s definition, not the world’s. When we are “right” in his ways, and when the ways of our human authorities don’t stand in conflict with God’s right, it is good, but when there is contradiction, we have to choose which way we will follow.

And verse 5 can also be a challenge for us. Don’t just obey human authority because we might be punished for disobeying, but because it is right to obey, to the extent possible, of course. The phrase “as a matter of conscience” means that obedience is ethically and morally right! I believe that the only time this obligation doesn’t fit, is when the human way stands in direct opposition to God’s way. And if we really think about it, the Lord gives us considerable latitude in how, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, we work out his way for our lives.

Read Romans 13:6-7

“Give to everyone what you owe them.” Not what they deserve, but what we owe them. Not for what they have done, but for their position in God’s created authority. Pay your taxes, whether you think they are fair or not; respect human authority, whether you believe that they are leading in the way you think they should or not; honor authority, for it is God breathed.

It may be interesting to note that God gave authority, but didn’t exactly choose the people who now exercise that authority. So who did choose our leaders? People! The electorate! You and me! And are the choices by the majority always perfect? Nope! We can always hope and pray that those chosen for leadership will show themselves worthy of God’s authority, but we know that they never are. Some will do their best to do what is right, but they almost always fail. But that, as far as Paul is concerned, is no reason to ignore them, or to deny their responsibilities and orders.

We need to have people in authority to make decisions for the good of the order. We need referees and umpires in sports – we may not always like their calls, but we need them just the same. We need judges in our courts to make decisions regarding our laws – we may not agree with their rulings, but we need them just the same. We need police, and building inspectors, and highway superintendents, and teachers, and parents, and bishops, and presidents and governors, and any number of other authority figures in our lives. Sometimes, our most difficult task is figuring out which one to listen to, but when we always listen to the Lord first, then it will be easier to follow the rest.

Surrender to human authority the things they have authority over, but only after you surrender your life to Jesus Christ and his ways, and then everything will fall into place! (Luke 20:20-26)